


Here But Not Forgotten

by TheNovelNightingale



Category: Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003) - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Boxing & Fisticuffs, Brothers, Clones, Guilt, Post-Order 66 (Star Wars), Post-Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal, Post-Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, References to Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008), Reunions, Survivor Guilt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:14:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29163234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNovelNightingale/pseuds/TheNovelNightingale
Summary: Rex is captured on an Imperial cruiser where he reunites with an old friend.
Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody & CT-7567 | Rex
Comments: 2
Kudos: 32





	Here But Not Forgotten

Rex sat on his bench in the cell of the Imperial shuttle, counting down to the exact time he thought the door would open for the ‘interrogation’. He hoped the officer would be better than who escorted him here. It might have been age, or his experience with it, but damn if they made a fool of themselves at times with these so called protocols. A constant joke, and a constant comparison. 

They took away most of his armor, leaving him feeling naked with only his torn undersuit. Was space always this cold? It didn’t matter. They couldn’t keep him for long; they never could. 

When footsteps approached outside of his cell door earlier than he thought, he figured things would actually be interesting, and he was right in a way. 

“I want to speak to the prisoner,” A muffled voice said.

His chest tightened for the briefest second, whispers of another time tingling in the back of his brain. It was just a second of wishful thinking, the voice sounded too much like his own. The flashbacks, the nightmares, they’ve come and gone over the years, recently they’ve become more of a nuisance. He shifted in his seat to shake them away. 

The guard outside his cell snickered before barking at him. “You’re not authorized Liutendent.” Rex lifted his head with peak interest as the visitor refused to back down.

“It’s not a request trooper, and if there’s a problem with that you can take it up with the Admiral.”

It wasn’t a fluke, that voice was too familiar to be a coincidence, but who owned the voice was a bigger uncertainty. The old Captain straightened his back, ready to face anyone who came through that door. 

And he knew that door would open, because the Stormtrooper growled before stomping away, because who could say no to a Clone? 

Rex stood to his feet, staring at the man who entered, aghast. The Empire Uniform was a disappointing sight, but the familiar face wasn’t.

He couldn’t believe it. And as the soldier held his head up with the same posture of time ago he didn’t want to believe it. Then he really really did. 

His mouth went dry and he clenched his hands before they could start trembling. “Cody?” All the walls he thought were made of stone fell apart with his shaking breath. His brother was alive. Commander Cody was alive. He didn't lose them all. All the wondering, the ‘what ifs’- all of it didn’t matter anymore.

He had aged as well as Rex did in a way, just not as hefty as he and the guys had gotten, but that could be a diet thing really. Cody’s face looked a little more hollow, not as colored as he remembered. That old scar was more prominent now on his stone cold face. The expression didn’t change besides the flash of recognition in his eyes. “Rex.” His voice trailed off as his eyes darted away, folding his hands behind his back like all the other Officers of the Empire do; deep in Rex’s gut it irked him seeing his brother in their garb. 

Rex frowned at the silence; he took a step forward. 

“Cody?” 

Cody snapped up at his name, his mind whirling to process everything, and it was everything at once. He opened his mouth. “You- I was told you were dead. You- I-...” 

His old friend wouldn’t even look him in the eye, and once again Rex wondered what had happened that terrible day. 

Rex took another step forward. “Cody I...I can’t believe it’s you.” 

That’s when Cody threw the first punch. 

For the last fifteen years Cody thought those of his old life were all gone. Some dying by his side, some commiting to the Empire, and some crashing with a ship in the outer rim. His reassignments came not long after the Republic fell, and Cody, drowning in guilt, thought he deserved it. 

His fist collided with Rex’s cheek causing him to stumble a step backward. He tried calling out his name but Cody didn’t hear it, didn’t want to hear it. “Where were you?” He found himself shouting. He had watched Kenobi tumble into the abyss, holding his breath after his soldiers walked away hoping that he’d surprise them all again. And he had continued to hold his breath when he heard the  _ Resolute _ crashed, but there were no survivors.

How did he survive? 

If Rex was there maybe Cody wouldn’t have-

Rex grunted as he dodged again, lifting his arms to shield his face, lowering himself to keep his ground. But he did not hit back.

He turned on his own General because he was told, if Rex had then he wouldn’t be here in a damned cell. Which means maybe he didn’t get the order. Why didn’t he tell him, why didn’t he warn him!- 

Warnings wouldn’t have mattered, he had missed hundreds of red flags, the biggest one in his own brain. And he was here even after all of that, wearing ridiculous uniform of a lesser rank than he truly was. He hasn't been a commander since he landed on Utapau. 

A rage he didn’t know he could still feel pushed him forward to tackle Rex, taking him to the ground. His fists punched wildly, unstopping. 

_ Where were you Rex? _ His thoughts thundered, his teeth grinding together to ache his jaw as he continued to hammer on the aged clone. And Rex took it, putting up enough of a fight to absorb most of the blows on his arms. Rex shifted his head to grunt out a single word. 

“Brother.” 

Fists in front of him, Cody hesitated, and in that hesitation pressure crashed against him. Rex flung his bound wrist over his head, wrapping his arms around him so tight he could hardly breathe. No punch came. No attack. No attempt of escaping. Cody’s chest was so tight it hurt, the pain creeping up into his throat and trembling his jaw.

Captain Rex held him like that, wheezing through a busted nose. Two old friends worn from war. Then he mumbled past his shoulder.

“It’s ok.” 

And that's when the breath finally fell away. 


End file.
